U.S. patent application number 10/629320 was filed with the patent office on 2005-02-03 for housing assembly for stacking multiple computer modules.
Invention is credited to Arippol, Derick.
Application Number | 20050024821 10/629320 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34103594 |
Filed Date | 2005-02-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050024821 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Arippol, Derick |
February 3, 2005 |
Housing assembly for stacking multiple computer modules
Abstract
This invention is directed towards assemblies of electrical or
electronic circuit boards. More specifically, the present invention
relates to an assembly for housing multiple computer circuit
boards. The assembly include a housing that has several railing
coupled to the housing. A connector is structurally and
electrically coupled to the railings for hanging the computer
circuit boards. Structural coupling between the connector and the
railing is accomplished by placing the connector in contact with
the railing in a file hanging method. This contact also creates an
electrical coupling and establishes an electrical connection
between the connector and the railing.
Inventors: |
Arippol, Derick; (San
Francisco, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STATTLER JOHANSEN & ADELI
P O BOX 51860
PALO ALTO
CA
94303
|
Family ID: |
34103594 |
Appl. No.: |
10/629320 |
Filed: |
July 28, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
361/679.02 ;
361/735 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 1/189 20130101;
G06F 1/183 20130101; G06F 1/20 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
361/686 ;
361/687 |
International
Class: |
G06F 001/20 |
Claims
We claim:
1. An assembly for housing a computer system, wherein the assembly
comprises: a) a housing, wherein the housing comprises a plurality
of railings; b) a plurality of computer modules attached to the
housing railings, wherein the modules are integrated to form the
computer system; and, c) a power supply, wherein the power supply
provides power and ground to the railings.
2. The housing assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing is open to
the environment.
3. The housing assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly includes
one, two or three layers.
4. The housing assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing does not
require a compact Motherboard-CPU configuration.
5. The housing assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly is
constructed as separate segments that can be joined together to act
as one unit.
6. The housing assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly is
cylindrical in shape.
7. The housing assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing further
comprises a plurality of columns, and wherein the columns are
coupled to the railings.
8. The housing assembly of claim 1, wherein the computer modules
are attached by hanging the computer modules from the railings.
10. The housing assembly of claim 1, wherein the power supply
comprises a first stage and a second stage, and wherein the first
stage converts a first voltage that is converted into a second
voltage, and wherein the second voltage is provided to the second
stage, and wherein the second stage creates a third voltage that is
suitable for the circuit board from the second voltage.
11. The housing assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly further
comprises a connection kit.
12. The housing assembly of claim 4, wherein the assembly includes
two layers.
13. The housing assembly of claim 5, wherein the assembly is
constructed as four separate segments that can be joined together
to act as one unit.
14. The housing assembly of claim 6, wherein the assembly is
constructed as four separate segments that can be joined together
to act as one unit.
15. The housing assembly of claim 8, wherein the computer modules
are hung using a frame that is structurally connected to the
modules.
16. The housing assembly of claim 14, wherein each separate segment
is self-sufficient.
17. The housing assembly of claim 15, wherein the computer modules
do not include a case.
18. The housing assembly of claim 14, wherein each separate segment
comprises a cooling system, and wherein the cooling system is a
single fan.
19. The housing assembly of claim 10, wherein the first stage is
the only part of the power supply that provides power to the
rails.
20. The housing assembly of claim 10, wherein the second stage is
activated by a signal coming from a motherboard.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates generally to assemblies of electrical
or electronic circuit boards. More specifically, the present
invention relates to a housing assembly for stacking multiple
computer modules.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The current course of business demands more power from
computer systems. This demand is often met through the creation of
computer clusters, of which there are two primary types: "high
availability" clusters, where more than one node is used to
guarantee the continuous operability of a machine; and, "high
performance" clusters, where several nodes combine efforts to yield
more processing power. Such clusters require a method of
organization and storage. A general method is physically housing
individual computers in a single compartment. Examples of this
method include housing regular tower and desktop computers on metal
frames and rack-mounting computer units.
[0003] The method of stacking computers on metal frames is widely
used. It consists of housing several computers on a metal shelf and
electrically connecting all the computers together using cable
wires to establish a network. The metal shelves are open to the
environment and usually either bolted to the ground or stand as
typical pillar type columns. One problem with this method is that
it stacks whole computer modules in a vertical position. This type
of stacking consumes large amounts of space and is very costly.
[0004] To an extent, the rack-mountable method of stacking reduces
the large space consumption problem faced by the stacking method.
This method includes a completely enclosed housing having a door
and slidable drawer type racks for inserting and mounting computer
modules. Simple racks allow this sliding to occur simply by
allowing the metal faces from neighboring nodes to "scratch"
against each other. This rack-mounted system has several drawbacks.
It is expensive, it requires a compact Motherboard-CPU
configuration (height cannot exceed 4.3 cm which is the generic
height for the Rack-Mount), it is heavy (enclosed onto a metal box
with its own CPU-cooling system, memory and Power-Supply), and it
is difficult to service and upgrade since the internal parts of
each computer module are enclosed into their own box and not easily
accessible.
[0005] The blade rack method uses a blade-rack housing having
slidable drawers for stacking circuit boards of computer modules
without completely enclosing them in their metal box. So called
"blade servers" use plastic, metal or another type of covering to
enclose them into a proprietary package (i.e., housing). The units
are then combined into a secondary housing that is attached to a
rack-mountable structure. This method removes the typical top metal
casing which covers the top, back, and sides of the computer
circuit board but retains the bottom and front portion. Partially
or completely hard-covered computer modules, with the top and back
of each computer circuit board left open, are then inserted and
mounted onto the slidable drawer. On some types of blade servers,
such as the blades manufactured by "Rack-Savers," this allows air
that flows through the entire blade rack housing to pass through
each partially metal wrapped computer module. The blade-rack
housing also includes cooling fans coupled to the housing for
cooling these partially metal wrapped computer modules. This system
still presents many downsides. The system is still expensive due to
the partial metal wrapping and type of housing used and each module
requires its own power supply. The computer modules are still heavy
due to the weight of the partial metal wrapping and still consume a
large space for storage. The cooling system only works if all the
computer modules are inserted in place, if one of the computer
modules is pulled out, the air-flow is interrupted and some of the
computer modules over-heat.
[0006] Therefore, there is a need for a housing assembly that
allows easy insertion and removal of a computer circuit board. The
housing assembly should reduce overall weight, cost, and space
required for housing computer modules. The housing assembly should
also include a common power supply and central cooling system and
provide a networked environment for efficient processing. In
addition, the housing assembly should allow easy accessibility of
components on computer circuit boards and allow each computer an
option to act as part of the network or act as an individual
module. Furthermore, the housing assembly should allow groups of
computers to act as one main networked cluster or be divided into
several smaller networked clusters that may be joined or separated
from the main network cluster.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The invention is directed towards assemblies of electrical
and electronic circuit boards. More specifically, the present
invention relates to an assembly for housing multiple computer
circuit boards. The assembly includes a housing that has several
railings coupled to the housing. A connector is structurally and
electrically coupled to the railings for hanging the computer
circuit boards. Structural coupling between the connector and the
railing is accomplished by placing the connector in contact with
the railing in a file hanging method. This contact also creates an
electrical coupling and establishes an electrical connection
between the connector and the railing.
[0008] In an assembly aspect of the invention, the assembly is an
assembly for housing a computer system. The assembly includes a
housing that includes a plurality of railings. It further includes
a plurality of computer modules that are attached to the railings,
and the modules are integrated to form the computer system.
Furthermore, it includes a power supply that provides power and
ground to the railings.
[0009] Typically, the housing is open to the environment and
includes one, two or three layers, and the computer modules include
a circuit board.
[0010] Typically, the housing does not require a compact
Motherboard-CPU configuration, and the assembly is constructed as
separate segments that can be joined together to act as one
unit.
[0011] Typically, the assembly is cylindrical in shape, and the
housing comprises a plurality of columns that are coupled to the
railings.
[0012] Typically, the computer modules are attached by hanging them
from the railings, and there is a cooling system that includes a
fan.
[0013] Typically, the power supply of the assembly includes a first
stage, which converts a first voltage into a second voltage that is
provided to a second stage that creates a third voltage suitable
for the circuit board. The first stage is usually the only part of
the power supply that provides power to the rails, and the second
stage is activated by a signal coming from a motherboard. The power
supply is usually divided into independent power sections that are
equal in number to the number of separate sections of the
assembly.
[0014] Typically, the power supply is located in a power section in
the central portion of the housing. It is usually surrounded by a
cylinder that is made of a heat isolating material.
[0015] Typically, the assembly includes a connection kit. The
connection kit usually has a first side, a second side, and a
plurality of connectors that are coupled to both the first side and
the second side of the connection kit.
[0016] Typically, the connectors allow communication between
computer modules within the housing. In certain cases, the
connectors allow communication between the computer modules in the
housing and an outside interface.
[0017] Typically, the assembly is constructed as four separate
segments that can be joined together to act as one unit. Each
separate segment is usually self-sufficient and includes a single
fan as a cooling system.
[0018] Typically, the computer modules are hung using a frame that
is structurally connected to the modules, and the modules do not
include a case. The frame usually includes a metal wire frame, a
plurality of hooks attached to the frame, and a translucent rod
that acts as a status display for various processes that occur in
the computer circuit board. The metal wire frame is typically made
of a plurality of conducting metal strips joined together. In
certain cases, the hooks are translucent and made of a
non-conductive material such as acrylic or resin. Each hook is
usually coupled to a connector that functions as a conductor.
[0019] Typically, the railings of the assembly include more than
one layer. In certain cases, the railings include a first layer, a
second layer, a third layer and a fourth layer. In such cases, the
first layer is typically a conducting material; the second layer is
typically a non-conducting material that overlays the first layer
and that includes a first side and a second side; the third layer
is typically a conducting material placed on the first side of the
second layer; and, the fourth layer is typically a non-conducting
material. The first side of the second layer is usually opposite to
the second side of the second layer. The second side of the second
layer usually includes openings to the first layer at equidistant
intervals, and the fourth layer includes two types of openings--a
first opening type and a second opening type. The first opening
type typically lies directly over top of the second layer openings
allowing access to the first layer; the second opening type
typically occurs on the side opposite of the first opening type and
allows access to the third layer. The conductive material of the
third layer is usually a metal strip. Exemplary materials from
which the conductive material of the third layer are made include
silver-plated copper and aluminum.
[0020] The invention is also directed towards a method of
distributing software to individual computer modules. In such a
method aspect of the invention, the method includes the following
steps: categorizing computer modules into separate groups, wherein
the groups are server nodes and client nodes, and wherein the
client nodes are further categorized as either non-terminal client
nodes or terminal client nodes; configuring a network such that
when a new client node enters the network, a request for becoming
part of the network is sent from the client node to a server node;
performing a scan on the client node to determine the client node's
hardware information; determining client node status by applying
rules to the hardware information obtained in the scan; and,
distributing software to the client node according to its
status.
[0021] Typically with respect to the method, the computer modules
are fully or partially contained in a modular housing assembly.
[0022] Typically, touchable client nodes comprise a hard drive, RAM
memory, a processor, and either a graphical card or a monitoring
machine.
[0023] Typically, the client node's hardware information is stored
on a controller node. The client node typically reboots after its
hardware information is stored on a controller node.
[0024] Typically, determined client node status is either that of a
terminal or non-terminal node. Furthermore, if client node status
is determined to be that of a terminal node, then the node is
usually prepared for design, 3D animation or secretarial functions.
If the client node status is determined to be that of a
non-terminal node, then the node is typically prepared to become a
3D-rendering engine.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] The novel features of the invention are set forth in the
appended claims. However, for purpose of explanation, several
embodiments of the invention are set forth in the following
figures.
[0026] FIG. 1A illustrates a cubical shaped housing assembly for
housing multiple computer modules according to one embodiment;
[0027] FIG. 1B illustrates a cylindrical shaped housing assembly
for housing multiple computer modules according to one
embodiment;
[0028] FIG. 1C illustrates computer circuit boards housed close
next to each other in a cube shaped housing using a file hanging
method according to one embodiment;
[0029] FIG. 1D illustrates computer circuit boards housed close
next to each other in a cylindrical shaped housing using a file
hanging method according to one embodiment;
[0030] FIG. 1E illustrates a quarter segment of a cylindrical
shaped housing according to one embodiment;
[0031] FIG. 1F illustrates a segmented cylindrical housing assembly
having four separate segments for housing multiple computer modules
according to one embodiment;
[0032] FIG. 2 illustrates cooling components of a cooling system
used for cooling electrical components on a computer circuit board
according to one embodiment;
[0033] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary power supply for the
powering the upper layer of the cylindrical housing assembly
according to one embodiment;
[0034] FIG. 4 illustrates a section of housing having railings and
columns coupled together to form the structure of the housing
according to one embodiment;
[0035] FIG. 5 illustrates a cross section of a multilayer railing
that is used in the housing assemblies according to one
embodiment;
[0036] FIG. 6 illustrates a frame assembly for hanging computer
circuit boards on a railing according to one embodiment;
[0037] FIG. 7 illustrates a casing used for protecting devices
inside the open air housing assemblies from dust in certain
environments according to one embodiment; and
[0038] FIG. 8 is a block diagram that illustrates one operation for
distributing software and allowing individual computer modules to
act as independent units according to one embodiment.
[0039] FIG. 9 illustrates a cylindrical type rail that is used in
certain embodiments of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0040] The invention is directed towards assemblies of electrical
or electronic circuit boards. More specifically, the present
invention relates to modular assemblies for housing multiple
computer circuit boards. The assembly includes a housing that has
several railing coupled to the housing. A connector is structurally
and electrically coupled to the railings for hanging the computer
circuit boards. Structural coupling between the connector and the
railing is accomplished by placing the connector in contact with
the railing in a file hanging method. This contact also creates an
electrical coupling and establishes an electrical connection
between the connector and the railing.
[0041] FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrates modular--or adaptable--housing
assemblies 100 and 105 for housing multiple computer modules
according to one embodiment. The housing assemblies 100 and 105
include several computer modules 110 coupled to a frame assembly
115, housings 120 and 125, a cooling system having cooling
components 150 and 155, a power supply 140, a junction box 145, a
connection kit 150, and accessories such as a monitor 185.
[0042] Housings 120 and 125 are open to the environment and include
several columns 160 and railings 165. The columns 160 and railings
165 are coupled together and form the structure of housings 120 and
125 (As will be discussed in further detail in FIG. 4 below). This
structure allows hanging of several computer modules 110 in a file
hanging method. FIGS. 1A and 1B depict housing assemblies having
two layers, an upper layer 170 and a lower layer 175, for housing
computer modules on top of each other. Alternatively, a housing
assembly having one layer or more than two layers may also be
used.
[0043] Housing 120 and 125 can either be constructed as a single
unit or constructed as separate segments that can be joined
together to act as one unit. For example FIG. 1E shows a quarter
segment of a cylindrical shaped housing structure (herein after
referred to as segmented cylindrical housing 127). The segmented
cylindrical housings can be arranged together in groups, expanding
the housing capacity in a geometrically harmonious manner. For
instance, four of these quarter cylindrical housing segments can be
joined to form a cylindrical-segment housing assembly 128 (as shown
in FIG. 1F). FIG. 1F depicts a four-segment cylindrical housing
construction, however other variations in number of segments or
shapes such as cubical shaped segmented assemblies are also
contemplated. Each segmented cylindrical housing is self
sufficient. Accordingly, segments may act as an individual assembly
or can be joined together in any combination to act as one unit.
For example two quarter cylindrical housing assembly segments can
be joined together, resembling a half circle, and act as one
assembly unit.
[0044] The computer modules 110 include a computer circuit board
having several electrical components and connectors coupled to the
computer circuit board. The circuit boards are typically AT or ATX
circuit boards, however other types of circuit boards used in
computer applications are also contemplated. The computer circuit
boards are typically hung uncovered, without any metal case, on the
railing 165 of housings 120 and 125 and open to the environment.
Alternatively, a tight-fit, light casing with means to allow the
circuit to benefit from outside airflow may also be used for the
circuit boards. This method of hanging allows placement of computer
circuit boards in close proximity to each other. FIGS. 1C and 1D
show computer circuit boards housed using this file hanging method
in a cube shaped housing 120 and a cylindrical shaped housing 125
respectively. A cubical 120 and cylindrical 125 housing is shown,
however other shaped open air housings are also contemplated.
[0045] A file hanging method without the metal wrapping decreases
weight and cost of each computer module that is typically
attributed to the metal case. Furthermore, arrangement of computer
circuit boards next to each other allows easy connection or sharing
of components between computer modules. This is accomplished
through having no barriers and a minimal gap between the uncovered
computer circuit boards. Some examples of component sharing between
these computer circuit boards are universal serial bus (USB)
switches, that can make USB components available to multiple
modules, hard drive if they are swappable, and VGA connections
combined into one switch for easy monitoring from one display.
[0046] Electrical components on these uncovered closely stacked
computer circuit boards are cooled using a cooling system. The
cooling system uses cooling components such as heat sinks 130 or a
fan 135 (As shown in FIG. 2) either separately or in combination to
cool these components. The fan 135 is centrally located and coupled
to the housings 120 and 125 for cooling the components. Air from
the fan 135 channels through the open spaces between the computer
circuit boards that are open to air and cools the CPU's and other
components coupled to the computer circuit boards. In case of the
segmented housing assemblies, each segment typically includes its
own fan coupled to the segmented portion of the housing.
[0047] As discussed earlier, heat sinks 130 are typically coupled
to the computer circuit boards and may also be used in combination
or separate from the fan 135 to cool the components. When used
separately, heat sinks 130 use natural airflow that passes between
the uncovered computer circuit boards for cooling. When used in
combination with a fan 135, the air from the fan 135 channels
between the open circuit boards and cools the components and the
heat sinks 130. Since the computer circuit boards are open to air,
other cooling methods may be used for heat dissipation, including
but not limited to the follow methods: coupling a heat sink between
the circuit boards and a metallic railing or column for conduction;
and, providing channeling devices to direct airflow within the
structure.
[0048] The power supply 140 includes a large transformer and is
coupled to housings 120 and 125. It includes two different stages
and is divided into several power independent sections for
supplying power to several computer circuit boards. The first stage
converts VDC or VAC into a lower AC or DC voltage. This stage
represents the bulk of the electrical transformation and has the
most heat emission. It is typically the only part of the power
supply that feeds the rails. The second stage picks up the VDC, for
example, and ground from several contact places on the rails and
uses these voltages to create different DC voltages required by
ATX, AT and other standards. This stage is activated by a signal
coming from the motherboard itself.
[0049] The transformer in the power supply is large enough to
accommodate power for all the computer modules in the housing
assemblies 100 and 105. Since transformers generate heat, the power
supply is located at a safe distance from the sensitive electrical
components of computer circuit boards. This prevents heat
dissipation from the transformer from affecting the performance of
the sensitive components. In one embodiment, FIG. 3 shows an
exemplary power supply 300 for the upper layer 170 of the
cylindrical housing assembly 110. In this embodiment, the power
supply is divided into three independent power sections (i.e., 301,
303 and 305). Alternatively, other variations in number of power
supply sections, such four independent power sections, for a four
segment housing assembly are also contemplated.
[0050] Power is supplied to each of these three sections and then
from each power section to its coupled railing 307, 309 and 311
respectively. All three power sections--301, 303 and 305--are
located away from the computer circuit boards 315 and in the center
of the housing. The power sections are typically surrounded by a
cylinder 317. The cylinder 317 is made of a heat isolating
material, such as acrylic, for isolating heat dissipated from the
power sections 301, 303 and 305. This prevents heat generated by
the power sections from affecting sensitive components on the
computer circuit boards 315 or any other components in the housing
assembly.
[0051] Alternatively, in the case of a segmented housing assembly,
each segment includes its own power supply that is placed at a back
section of the segmented housing. It may be coupled to the housing
segment by coupling means such as--inserted on a sliding rack,
snapped onto the housing columns, or being attached through screws
or rivets. A heat isolating material, such as acrylic, is used for
preventing heat dissipation generated by the power supply from
affecting computer modules inside the segmented housing assembly.
Power from these power supplies is supplied similarly by
transporting the power to railings, and subsequently to the
computer modules. The railings are electrically coupled either
directly or through cables to the power supply.
[0052] The connection kit 150 includes several connectors and is
coupled to the housing assemblies 100 and 105. Connectors are
coupled to both sides of the connection kits for allowing
communication between computer modules located inside the housing
assemblies 100 and 105 and between computer modules located inside
the housing assemblies 100 and 105 and any outside interface.
Several shielded cables are coupled to these connectors from both
sides for carrying out these communications. Since all the computer
modules in the housing assemblies 100 and 105 are designated as
either client or server modules, the connection units allow each
client module to operate as an individual unit. Server modules and
client modules typically differ, for example, in that server
modules include more memory, hard drive and components compared to
the client modules. In addition, in some cases such as in a cubical
shaped housing assembly 100, server modules may be placed in the
frontal area of the housing assembly.
[0053] Housing assemblies 100, 105 and 127 may also include various
accessories that are additional features to the housing assemblies
100, 105 and 127. For example, accessories such as a monitor 180,
switching box, and mixing box may also be included. Switching and
mixing boxes may be used for sound and graphics illustration. For
example, a switching box can be used to connect several computer
circuit boards in the housing assemblies 100, 105 and 127 to a
single monitor 180 for display.
[0054] FIG. 4 illustrates a section 400 of housing 125 having
tubular railings 410 and columns 420 coupled together to form the
structure of the housing according to one embodiment. As shown, the
railings 410 and columns 420 are round in shape, however square or
other shapes are also contemplated. Railings 410 and columns 420
are coupled together at various locations using a variety of
methods such as screw fastener assembly, rivets, welding, and
modular connectors. The modular connectors include a mechanism on
the railing that attaches to a cylindrical "cup" on the columns.
The coupling holds the railings 410 and columns 420 together and
provides sturdiness to the housing structure.
[0055] A housing structure is typically divided into a number of
identically shaped segments. For instance, in the case of
cylindrical shaped housing 125, the railing 410 is divided into
three equiangular segments. Each 1/3 section `snaps-on` to the main
housing structure by means of a connector lying on the transversal
bars and coupled to the columns 420 as discussed above. In the case
of cube-shaped housing 120, the railings 410 are divided into 4
segments and also coupled to the housing structure and columns
similar to the cylindrical housing. The number of railing segments
and size of the each segment depends upon the size and shape of the
housing. Each segment of the segmented housing assemblies typically
has one railing that is attached to the columns in the segment. The
size and shape of each railing in the segment varies depending upon
the size and shape of the segment housing assembly.
[0056] As discussed earlier, in addition to providing structural
sturdiness, the railings 410 typically are made of multiple layers
allowing them to act as conductors for transporting power and
ground to the computer circuit board, either directly or through
the second stage power supply. The transport is made possible by
having the railing electrically coupled to a power supply as well
as to hanging computer circuit boards through contact perforations
made in the multiple-layered railing at various locations. FIG. 5
illustrates a cross section of one such exemplary three-layer
railing.
[0057] The first section is the main metallic structure of railing
410, in other words the metal bar itself (510). Bar 510 is covered
by a first `isolating rubber pipe` 520, which is `shrunk` to attach
snuggly to the bar 510. This type of isolating rubber pipe 520
consists of a tube made out of a special rubber. When heat is
applied to this material, it shrinks to conform to the shape ofthe
object it is evolving (e.g., metal bar 510). Eight elliptical
shaped cuts 530 are then made on the top area of this rubber
surface at equidistant intervals. These cuts 530, also shown as
contact perforations 430 in FIG. 4, provide grounding access to
computer circuit boards when the circuit boards are electrically
coupled to them.
[0058] The second layer of the three layer multilayer railing 410
includes a conductive low-resistance metal strip 540. The metal
strip 540 is placed in front of the bar 510, opposite to the top
side of the railing 410 having cuts 530. It has connectors on the
ends that allows for a current to be applied. The metal strip 540
may be constructed from any suitable conducting material, such as
aluminum or silver-plated copper.
[0059] A second `isolating rubber pipe` 550 is layered and shrunk
over the first isolating rubber pipe 520 to form the third layer.
This time, as well as containing openings (i.e., cuts) on top of
the bar, the `isolating rubber pipe` 550 is also cut with
elliptical protrusions on the front area of the bar. The elliptical
protrusions on top of the bar are aligned with elliptical cuts 530
on the first isolating rubber pipe 520. This alignment allows
conduction to occur all the way down to the main metallic bar 510
on those eight places of the railing 410.
[0060] On the front area of the railing 410, conductive strip 540
can be accessed at the eight elliptical cuts 560 in the second
layer, i.e., the second isolating rubber pipe 550. These cuts 560
are also shown as contact perforations 440 in FIG. 4. This layering
combination makes the railing 410 a rail-rubber-conductor-rubber
sandwich, with eight accesses to the bar 510 on top and eight to
the conductive strip 540 in front. The metallic rail 510 is
supplied with grounding, and the conductive strip is charged with
an appropriate AC or DC voltage supplied by the first stage power
supply.
[0061] A rail-rubber-conductor-rubber sandwich construction is
shown. This construction allows single or multiple voltages and
ground access to the computer circuit boards at the various
perforations as discussed earlier. For example, the metal bar may
be supplied with a separate power instead of ground and made
accessible to the computer circuit boards. Alternatively, a
multiple layer railing 410 having multiple metal strips and
isolating layers can be constructed. Additional metal strips and
isolating layers containing openings at various locations allow
multiple sources of power to be supplied to the computer circuit
boards.
[0062] The voltages and ground from the railing is accessed by the
computer circuit board by means of a coupling between the railing
and the metal frame assembly, including hooks attached to the metal
frame (e.g., at top and bottom of frame). Voltages are picked-up by
the metal frame hooks and are then transferred to the second stage
power supply through wires. The voltages are transformed into
suitable voltages and sent to the motherboard through standard ATX
power cables. Ground is distributed throughout the metal frame to
the motherboard. Connections to ground are established through the
hooks making contact to the rail ground. Ground is also provided to
the motherboard by the second stage power supply through a cable
connection to the motherboard standard power-input.
[0063] Alternatively to the tubular railings 410, the rails may be
cylindrical in nature, as shown in FIG. 9. As shown, the
cylindrical rail system is composed of an independent {fraction
(1/4)}-section. The rails themselves are made non-conductive;
however, areas for contact are created on the rails by running
strips of conductive materials 910 on the circumference of the
cylinder-segment. Furthermore, more than one contact area can be
created on the same rail, by running the strip at different
heights, and on different surfaces of the cylinder. For example,
the front rail, the top-surface is used for conducting ground 920,
while the front-surface of the same rail is used to conduct 0VAC,
and the back-face to conduct -15VDC. The back rail then uses its
top surface for conducting ground, and its back surface for
conducting +15VAC. Also a protection plate 930 or "shield" is added
to the front of the outmost rail to protect against electrical
shock.
[0064] FIG. 6 illustrates a frame assembly 600 for hanging computer
circuit boards on a railing according to one embodiment. As shown,
the frame assembly 600 includes a metal frame 610 coupled to a
computer circuit board 620, and several hooks 630 and a translucent
rod 640 coupled to the frame 610. Alternatively, the frame may be
constructed from a non-conducting material, such as acrylic.
[0065] The frame 610 is typically made of several conducting metal
strips joined together through coupling means such as screw
fastener assembly or rivets. The strips may be joined in several
positions to construct a frame 610 that can support the weight of
the computer circuit board 620. Several perforations or holes in
the metal strips of the frame 610 allow it to be coupled with the
computer circuit board 620.
[0066] Coupling consists of aligning holes on the frame 610 with
holes on the computer circuit board. Holes exist at various
locations in the wire frame to allow variations in circuit boards.
For example either AT and ATX circuit boards or any other future
circuit board with a hole configuration different than the AT or
ATX circuit boards may also be aligned for coupling to the frame
610. Once aligned, a screw or rivet is passed through the aligned
holes and fastened. This coupling holds the computer circuit board
and frame assembly 600 in position.
[0067] The hooks 630 are typically translucent and made of
non-conductive material, such as acrylic or resin, and are attached
to the frame 610 through a screw fastener assembly. Alternatively,
hooks can also be made of similar non-conductive materials. The
holes on the frame 610 are aligned with the holes on the hooks 630
and then secured using the screw fastener assembly. The hooks 630
are used for hanging the frame assembly 600 onto the railings.
Hanging allows the hooks to be placed on the railings resembling a
file hanging method or a coat hanger placed on a coat rack.
[0068] A small connector coupled to hooks 630 allows the hooks 630
to function as a conductor for furnishing the power and ground to
the components of the computer circuit board 620. (Power from the
rails is captured by the hooks and directed to the second stage
power supply, is regulated, and then directed through a suitable
cable to the circuit board.) The small connector establishes an
electrical connection between the railing and the computer circuit
board when the hooks 630 are placed on any of the elliptical cuts
430 and 440 of the railing. This electrical connection allows power
and ground from the power supply to be supplied to the computer
circuit board 620. The electrical connection can be terminated by
lifting the hook 630 from the railing similar to lifting a coat
hanger from the coat rack. Furthermore, each metal frame assembly
includes at least one hook. Each hook in a metal frame assembly,
such as the metal frame assembly displayed in FIG. 6 having four
hooks, is coupled to a railing and is capable of receiving
different voltages on each of its hooks.
[0069] Translucent rod 630 is coupled between two hooks 640 in a
cubical-shaped housing assembly using any appropriate means (e.g.,
screw fastener assemblies). Alternatively, the translucent rod 630
may also be coupled in other locations of the metal frame assembly
and also used in a cylindrical shaped housing assembly. The rod 640
is typically made of acrylic material and is translucent. Its
translucent properties allow the rod 640 to act as a status display
for various processes that occur in the computer circuit board.
Several light emitting diodes (LED's) 650 are coupled to the hooks
630 and the rod 640, which allows them to glow when the LED's 650
are lit. LED's 650 can be of any color. For example, when there is
network activity taking place, the hook 630 or rod 640 might blink
with a bluish glow; however, the glow might be white in color if
it's the hard-drive of the computer module that is being accessed.
Furthermore, if the computer circuit board senses that the CPU is
overheating, a red-glow will be emitted by the LED's 650.
[0070] The frame assembly 600 is placed spatially on the railings.
The spatial placement provides adequate space between computer
circuit boards for airflow to dissipate the heat generated from the
computer circuit boards 620; yet, it is close enough to the other
frame assemblies 600 to allow sharing of components that are common
between the circuit boards. In the cylindrically shaped housing
assembly 105, frame assemblies 600 are arranged around two
concentric arches to maximize airflow distribution throughout the
system. In addition, the frame assemblies 600 are placed at a safe
distance from the power supply. This ensures heating of any
sensitive components on the computer circuit board caused by heat
dissipation from the power supply.
[0071] FIG. 7 illustrates a casing 700 for housing assemblies 100,
105, and 127. In its regular operation, housing assemblies 100,
105, and 127 are uncovered and do not include a casing. However a
casing 700 can be used in environments that are either dusty or
require protection of components on the circuit board due to debris
etc. Casing 700 covers the circuit boards and its components by
molding around the housing assemblies 100, 105, and 127. FIG. 7
depicts a casing for cubical housing assembly 100, however such a
casing may also be used in cylindrical housing assembly 105 and
segmented housing assembly configurations.
[0072] As shown, the casing 700 is made of plastic and includes
breathing holes for allowing air through the housing assemblies
100, 105, and 127. Other lightweight materials may also be used as
an alternative to plastic. Casing 700 includes a top side 710, a
vertical side 720, and optionally a bottom side or any combination
of top, vertical and bottom sides. The breathing holes may be
located on all sides of the casing or only on vertical side 720. A
replaceable filtering material is coupled to the casing to prevent
any particles, such as dust or impurities, from entering the
housing assemblies. Casing 700 also includes zipper doors 730.
These are fitted throughout the casing to allow easy access to the
computer modules without the necessity of removing the entire
panel.
[0073] FIG. 8 is a block diagram that illustrates one operation for
distributing software and allowing individual computer modules to
act as independent units according to one embodiment. (At 801) All
the computer modules stacked in the housing assemblies 100, and 105
are designated into two categories for creating a network. These
categories are server computer modules (Server Nodes) and client
computer modules (Client nodes).
[0074] The server nodes, usually one or more in the housing
assemblies 100 and 105, include server software such as win2k
Server, and Linux Server. They are typically placed in the frontal
part of the housing assembly 100 and 105 and usually have more
memory, hard-drives and components than client nodes. One of their
functions as part of the network is to distribute software to
client computers and monitor their functions when needed.
[0075] (At 805) The client nodes, which are typically present as a
plurality in housing assembly 100 and 105, are categorized into two
separate groups. These are non-terminal client nodes and terminal
client nodes. The non-terminal client nodes are usually used for
raw-processing power and are fully contained in the housing
assemblies. They contain their own RAM memory, processor, and
either operate without a hard-drive (diskless), share a drive via
"switching", or include their own hard drive. Alternatively, a
small-sized notebook hard drive can be coupled to the non-terminal
node's computer circuit board. In yet another alternative
embodiment, the small-sized notebook hard drive is electrically but
not physically coupled to the computer circuit board and coupled to
the housing assembly 100 and 105. If a user desires, built in
graphics capabilities on the computer circuit board or plug-in
graphics cards can be used to monitor these non-terminal computer
nodes.
[0076] The terminal clients can include their own hard drive or can
be diskless, and can contain RAM memory, processor and either a
graphical card or another method for monitoring machine. They are
communicatively coupled to a local or a remote user. Terminal
clients require connections that extend the domain of the
housing/casing assembly. For instance, extensions (wires, cables,
wireless-connections, etc.) are attached to connections of the
touchable client and extend its signals to components such as a
monitor, mouse, keyboard, digitizing pad, speaker, etc.
[0077] At 810, after categorizing computer modules into separate
groups, software that resides at the controller nodes configures
the network and establishes network connections. These network
connections prepare the network for adding or removing client
nodes. The network connections also allow the controller units to
distribute "operating systems", "programs", and "settings" to the
client nodes, ultimately preparing them for predetermined
functions.
[0078] The network is configured such that when a new client node
enters the network, accomplished by hanging a new computer module
on the railing, a request for becoming a part of the network is
sent from the entering client to the server nodes. A temporary
image is loaded onto the node, and a thorough scan is performed on
it which determines all the hardware information of the node. This
information is stored on the server, and the new node reboots. From
this stored node-data, the server can now use rules and guidelines
programmed by an administrator (i.e., a user with rights to the
server) to decide node behavior.
[0079] In a first category decision, the server decides if the node
will be a terminal or non-terminal client. The server, if desired,
can make other sublevel determinations. For instance, a terminal
node can be a node prepared for design, 3D animation, or
secretarial functions, all of which is dependent on the graphical
card present on the node. The system, after a determination, would
install correct applications and operating systems for the
appropriate functions for the terminal node (815). In the case of a
non-terminal node, for example, a server may determine that, if it
contains sufficient memory, then it will become a 3D-rendering
engine. If the same node had less memory, but had a large hard
drive, then the system could decide that the node is to become part
of a "web-farm" and serve HTML through the internet.
[0080] If the client node is a terminal client node, then a
connection kit is typically required for distributing software or
making the terminal client node part of the network. Connection
kits include connectors for USB, Firewire (iee-1394), Monitor, Com
Port, Parallel Port, Joystick port, and can include other
connectors to allow communication between terminal client nodes and
other nodes in the network or between terminal client node and a
user of the network. For example, the user may be remote from the
terminal client node, but will have at his disposal all the
functions designed for his use. This is possible since the
predetermined functions have been transferred to the terminal
client and now it can act on its own without the need to be
connected to the network for operation.
[0081] Server-client and non-terminal/terminal client relationships
and principles as mentioned above are also applied in the case of a
segmented housing assembly. In addition to those relationships and
principles, each segment of the segmented housing assemblies
includes its own server-client nodes and non-terminal/terminal
clients and acts as an independent cluster. Each segment may be
joined with any number of segments to form a bigger cluster. This
can be accomplished by electrically coupling the two segments using
network cables and some software configuration to form one single
cluster. For example, if two quarter segments of a cylindrical
shaped segmented housing assembly are joined, resembling a half
circle, then a network connecting all the modules in the two
segments is established and functions similar to housing assemblies
100 and 105 as mentioned above as an independent group of
nodes.
[0082] The modular assemblies of the present invention fit into a
larger scheme of modularity having three basic levels. At a first
level are the assemblies of the present invention. The assemblies
can be arranged in a number of ways to form variations on a final
structure that conform to the requirements of an individual or
business. The second level concerns the number of CPUs per
assembly. The modular assemblies can house a single CPU or be
filled to maximum capacity. Assemblies, at the third level, can be
expanded in a modular fashion. In other words, one can expand
groups of CPU-nodes and adapt them to fit virtually any working
environment. Full working structures are combined in a harmonious
fashion to increase the processing power of a system.
[0083] In the previous description, numerous details are set forth
for purpose of explanation. However, one of ordinary skill in the
art will realize that the invention may be practiced without the
use of these specific details. In other instances, well-known
structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order not
to obscure the description of the invention with unnecessary
detail.
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